Jealous
by MrsBlythe
Summary: Set in Anne of Windy Willows, Anne decides to surprise Gilbert during their enforced separation but what awaits her?
1. Chapter 1

**This is a short (ish) story set during 'Anne of Windy Willows' which although its a great book, falls short somehow due to the lack of Gilbert. Please r&r. Sorry if you don't like it but it flowed better in my head (and my heart).**

**Unfortunately, I don't own Anne, Gilbert or Phillipa etc, fortunately I do not own Christine Stuart. **

CHAPTER 1

"Anne Shirley! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Phillipa Blake threw herself at her friend as she departed the train and hugged her tightly. "I haven't seen you since the wedding, you haven't changed a bit, except, well let me see...there's something different...what is it? Oh..." she said with a michevious twinkle in her eyes, "Whats this on your finger? Don't tell me Gilberts finally making an honest woman of you!"

"Stop teasing Phil." Anne said exagerating a sigh. "You know I wrote and told you and yes, thank you again for telling Gilbert to try again. We wouldn't be at this stage without you and your matchmaking etcetera, etecetra"

"Oh fidlesticks. Fate intervened, I just gave you a shove. Anyway, have you told the delectable Dr Blythe about your visit?"

"Not yet. I wanted to surprise him."

"I think this will be the best surprise he could wish for Queen Anne. Come on, lets go back to the manse. Jo is looking forward to seeing you again too."

They set off in the direction of the home Phillipa shared with her husband, Reverend Jonas Blake, and their year-old twin sons Philip and Jonas. Anne hugged Reverend Jo and cooed over and kissed the boys - they really were adorable - then Phillipa showed her to her room.

"I'll leave you to settle in Anne," she said "come down in ten minutes and I'll have some tea ready."

"Thank you Phil, but I am really anxious to see Gilbert. I only have three days here and, sorry much as I love you, I love him more."

"As it should be my dear. Do you want me to come with you?"

"If you don't mind, just in case he's busy and can't spend any time with me."

Phillipa nodded in understanding, Anne was excited. She gave Anne a kiss on the cheek and closed the door behind her.

_Oh I've missed you these four months Gil. Have you missed me? Do you still love me? Will my heart flutter when I see you like it did before we parted? Will I still make yours beat faster?_

These thoughts and doubts were racing through Annes head as she changed and brushed her hair. _There!_ she thought in satisfaction, _I can't do anything about the colour but Gil has always claimed to like it._

Anne and Phillipa chatted about their days in Pattys Place as they walked the short distance to Redmond where Gilbert would soon be finishing his classes for the day. After a series of 'do you remembers' they entered the courtyard where the main enterence was situated. As they walked towards the door Annes heart started beating faster and her palms were moist. She was nervous.

* * *

><p>Phillipa saw them first. (Anne only had eyes for Gilbert and he was standing with his back to them.) Phillipa heard a woman laugh and touch a man on the arm possessively, like he belonged to her, except in this case the man in question belonged to her dear friend beside her and who now, in realising the situation before her, had turned a deathly shade of white and had tears pricking at her - no not pricking - spilling out of her eyes.<p>

Anne clutched Phillipa for support. Gil was there _flirting_ with, if she was not mistaken, Christine Stuart. She had a flashback to one day, shortly after they had announced their engagement, an old college friend had said '_there is much more to Gilbert and Christine than you will ever know._'

She could stand it no more, Christine was...beyond contempt! Anne looked Phillipa in the face and then turned and ran - as fast as she could with tears tripping her - in the direction of Phillipas house.

* * *

><p>Phillipa stood...what to do?<p>

Impulsively she ran forward towards _them._

"How could you?" she cried to a bewildered Gilbert. "I can't even know where to start with you!" she shouted at a smug looking Christine.

"Phillipa? Have you gone mad?" Gilbert asked.

"No! I haven't, but Anne might have gone mad into the '_depths of dispair'_ after what she's just witnessed!" Phillipa declaired, storming off in the general direction of Annes departure.

"A-Anne?" Gilbert chased after Phillipa, blood rushing through his body at hearing his beloveds name. "Phil, did you say Anne is here - in Kingsport?"

"Yes. She wanted to surprise you," Phil was still running "But I think she was the one who got the surprise. Really Gilbert, you are apart for a few months and you forget her, I expected more of you. Maybe not more of that spiteful cat, but Gilbert, I thought you really loved her. In my mind you two were the epitome of true love, the perfect couple, even more so than Jo and me, or any other couple I've ever met. My faith in providence has been shattered. I feel like my heart has broken too. Poor, poor Anne. I must find her."

"Wait for me. And Phillipa...don't ever doubt my love for Anne."


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Anne etc...**

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Phillipa found Anne sitting on a bench in the park, sobbing. Crying like she'd only ever cried twice in her life.

"Anne?" Phil said softly. No response. "Anne?" she tried again.

"Oh Phil. I've been so stupid." Anne choked out. Phillipa sat down beside her and wrapped her up in a hug.

"No. You overreacted, thats all." soothed Phil.

"At least he didn't see me."

"No he didn't, but he knows you're here. I gave him, and _her_, a piece of my mind. Gilbert's looking for you."

"Oh." Anne groaned. "Whatever must he think of me? I'm a jealous little fool. They were just _talking_ for goodness sake, but Phil, I haven't seen him for so long and I tortured myself before thinking that he'd forgotten me, or that he realised he was making a mistake, that I was just...not good enough for him."

While Anne was pouring out her fears to Phillipa, Gilbert had come up behind them and on hearing her last words could not keep quiet any longer.

"Anne, sweetheart, please. I'm sorry."

"No Gil." Anne cried, throwing herself into his arms. "I'm sorry."

They stood entwined in that embrace, unaware of anything around them, each drawing comfort from the other, hardly believing that after so long they were together in body. There wasn't the passion of other reunions, just a knowledge of belonging.

* * *

><p>"Well, well. That was quite a scene you caused, Anne Shirley." Christine Stuarts familiar archy drawl filtered through the air.<p>

"What do you want Christine?" Gilbert asked, still holding Anne in his arms.

"Why are you wasting your time with her Gil?" she said sweetly, "When you could have me?"

Gilbert indeed knew that he could have Christine, in every sense of the word, for she had made that blatently obvious to him. It was getting so bad that he only just tolerated her, on account of her brother.

"Christine, you have Andrew." He said, unable to keep the exasperation he felt from showing itself.

"Andrew. Oh he can be discarded. Just say the word Gilbert."

"Leave us alone Christine. Andrew might be disposable to you but Anne certainly is not to me."

"She had you snared before you even came to Redmond, didn't she Gil?" Christine could not keep the frustration out of her voice. She was not used to being rejected. Why would Gilbert prefer this...this...red head over her? She had thought that Gilbert would get over his infatuation with Anne in time, but so far it was just getting stronger. Every conversation she had with him always had some snippet of Anne Shirley in it - it was like he couldn't function without her.

"She had me "snared" long before that. Now go, leave us in peace."

"I'm going for now, but _she_ has to go home sometime. I'll see you later Gil."

Anne had not spoken during the exchange between Gilbert and Christine, nor had she attempted to move from his arms. As they watched Christine depart she exhaled deeply, as if she had been holding her breath the whole time.

"I'm sorry Anne." Gilbert said softly. "I didn't encourage her feelings you know. She just can't accept that you are the only one for me."

"Did you ever - before we got engaged I mean - have any - feelings - for her?" The words sounded wrong even to Annes ears, but she had to ask.

"Anne! How could you even think that? This is me - Gilbert. The person who has loved you since he was fourteen, who has dealt with five years of you hating me and then four years of wishing you loved me. Do you really think that after all that waiting and wanting and loving I could **ever, ever**, think of anyone else in that way?" He tilted her chin with his finger so her starry grey eyes looked squarely into his earnest hazel ones. "I love only you Anne, and even if you hadn't," he chuckled softly, "come to your senses, I would still only love you, for I am not capable of loving anyone else."

"Neither am I Gil. You are my first thought when I wake up in the morning, my last consious thought at night, you occupy all my daydreams and every dream I have at night. I think, no I know, I love you more than words could ever possably describe. Thats why I panicked when I saw you and Christine together. I thought it was only a matter of time before _you_ came to your senses and reallised that you could have any woman you wanted, and then how would I go on, without you?"

"Ah, you see...I have the woman I want, and I intend to keep her!"

Gilbert lowered his head and his lips gently met Annes. She thrilled to their touch, her heart fluttering and that familiar frission of excitment coursing through her body.

"Come on," he said "I'll walk you back to Phillipas, and then we can start this day over. I'm glad you came."


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own _any_ of these characters, not even Claire Hallett.**

Anne wakened the next day before dawn had broken. Normally she loved this hour when she was free to loose herself in her thoughts and dream about the many bends in the road that were ahead. This morning, however, she was only able to think about the past. Her life had only really begun when she arrived at Green Gables. The years before that were a blur, inconsequential, as if they had never really happened. So, in fact, she could barely remember a life without Gilbert in it. From that first wink, to the 'slate incident', to nearly drowning, (which time!) to Queens and Redmond, Gil was there beside her. How ironic that now they were together, they were apart. She was no longer part of Gil's Redmond life and he only knew of Summerside what she wrote him in her letters.

"Its no wonder I'm insecure," she mused aloud "and we have only begun. Another three years of this - I may go '_wrong in the upper storey_' before its over!"

* * *

><p>Gilbert arrived early, eager to see his Anne again, and after bidding goodbye to Phillipa and the Reverend Jo, the two lovers slipped away hand in hand to enjoy a day together.<p>

They didn't talk much at first, simply revelling in being with eachother. Gilbert kept his gaze on Anne and sharply drew in breath, as if he could hardly believe that she was really here, that if he averted his eyes for even a second she might disappear, and he would realise that she was just a figment of his tired and overworked mind.

Soon, however, the old familiarity of conversation returned. They talked of Avonlea, Summerside and Gil's studies. Anne marvelled in this. Diana was, and always would be, her _busom_ friend, Phil, Stella and Prisilla were her _chums_, but Gil was all this, and more - he was her best friend, the one person in the world with whom she could talk of anything, this was why what they had was so special - they were friends and lovers.

"Shall we sit Anne?" Gilbert said motioning towards a bench.

Anne sat, drinking in the beauty of the surrounding park, with snow covered trees and winter flowers all around. Gilbert sat, thinking there was nothing as beautiful on earth as this long sought after, and eventually won, woman of his heart. Patience really was a virtue!

"Hello Gil."

Their solitude was interupted by a voice he knew only too well.

"Christine, Claire. How are you?" Gilbert aknowledged the two women standing in front of him.

"Very well, thank you for asking." Christine said, sweetly. Too sweetly, Anne thought. "I see Miss Shirley is still here on her visit." she continued, looking at Anne but addressing Gilbert.

"Yes, I am." replied Anne. Gilbert saw her eyes flashing and a memory came to him. _Pity there wasn't a slate handy_, he chuckled to himself.

"And, if you _ladies" _Anne said emphasising the word ladies with all the scorn she could muster in her voice, "don't mind, I would like to spend this time alone with my fiance."

"Well, I suppose you might, three years is a long time - an awful lot can happen." With a toss of her head and a sneaky backwards glance at Gilbert, Christine left, taking Claire Hallett with her.

"Sorry." Gilbert said.

"Why sorry? Its not your fault. You're not her keeper, even if she is making her intentions ridiculously obvious. Is she going to be around for the next few years?" Anne asked, trepadation in her voice.

"Two, at least. But you know you don't have anything to worry about."

"I know, but its hard - three years Gil. I won't be truly happy until its over."

Gilbert paused for a moment and looked deep into Annes eyes. There he saw his future.

"I'll give it up Anne - the medical studies I mean. I'll come home," he rushed on, "we can get married straight away, I'll help Dad on the farm and eventually I can own it."

Anne stared blankly at him, just for a second considering the idea, imagining what it would be like. Deep down, though, she knew she couldn't allow him to make this sacrifice for her.

"No, Gil. Being a doctor has been a dream of yours for so long..."

"Being your husband has been a dream of mine for longer." He interupted. "I want you to be truly happy."

"And you shall be my husband, when you're finished here. Then we can start our life together, properly, both of us _truly happy._ You wouldn't be content as a farmer. You were born to be a doctor. I wouldn't want you to resent me in the future."

"I wouldn't." he said simply and honestly.

"Alright then, I would resent myself. I can wait Gil. It wil be all the sweeter for waiting. I can dream, and hope and plan for our future."

With that Gilbert took Anne in his arms and kissed her, giving her a glimpse of what the future might hold, a promise of what was to come - a lifetime of love and happiness. She felt safe and secure in his love for her, somehow they'd get through the years to come.

**There you go - finished. Maybe, no definately, not as good as in my head, but then I am not anywhere near the class of Lucy Maud. Some of you other fanfic writers however...WOW...I now know how hard it is. I salute you all x **

**ps I actually think I love Gilbert. x**


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